WORLD’S NAVIES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 18 April 1939, Page 5

WORLD’S NAVIES

STRENGTH COMPARED

SHITS PRESENT AND FUTURE Britain’s commanding position ■» naval strength, which was discussed m detail by Mr Geoffrey Shakespeare, Financial Secretary to the Admiralty in the House of Commons recently t. revealed when the fleets of the Great Powers are compared. Authorities agree that an accurate comparison i* difficult to make, as many of the ships I listed as serviceable in the respective fleets are known to be obsolete or obsolescent, and that many of the new ships building for different navies are consequently replacements, and not altogether additions to total strength. Ships actually complete and in service at 31st January this year are quoted by Mr Francis McMurtrie in i "The Navy,” as follows, with the reservation that the figures relating to Soviet Russia are not guaranteed as accurate in each case, owing to the absence of official statistics:—

Britain and the United States thus lead in capital ships, with 15 each. Britain leads in aircraft carrier* and again in cruisers, but is second to the United States in destroyers, and last equal with Germany in submarines, each nation having 54. against the 134 : of Russia. A list of ships under construction ialso show's the British programme to be iby far the most extensive. Details are j as follows: —

i In the new programme, Britain leads in capital ships, aircraft carriers and cruisers and is second to the United States in destroyers. The British submarine programme of 15 craft is smaller than any but those of Japan with eight ships, and France, also \yith 15. Russia leads in this direction with 30 submarines, either under construction or about to begin, while Germany has 17. and the United States and Italy 16 each. Of the new battleships. Mr McMurtrie states that all the British craft were laid down during 1957 except two. Only tw'o of the American ships had been laid down, and the fourth German vessel was projected for laying down in 1939 It was doubtful if the Russian ship had been started, and the existence of the two Japanese depended on unofficial reports. Two Italian ships were due for completion early this year. The British figures quoted include the ships of the Royal Australian and Royal Canadian Navies.

Navy Britain United States Japan France Italy Germany Russia Total Sh ps of all type* 313 351 237 MS 191 96 164 1514 The detailed table is a £ s follows:— j 8 E U < O V) Britain 15 7 62 175 M USA 15 5 35 206 90 Japan 10 5 38 122 62 France 7 1 10 59 77 Italy 4 — 21 63 103 Germany .... 5 — 6 31 54 Russia 3 — 5 22 134

Navy Britain United States Ships of all types 74 70 France 43 Italy 41 Germany 43 Russia 43 Total 342